Foundation Conservation Carpathia launches the ‘Manifesto for the Făgăraș Mountains’ competition, a competition of temporary art installations inspired by nature, the Făgăraș Mountains and their people. The project will be exhibited during Făgăraș Fest festival, which takes place in Sebeșu de Sus, Racoviță commune, Sibiu county, between 26th – 28th July.
The Făgăraș Mountains stand out for their uniqueness in Europe: they boast the largest uninterrupted area of forests with high natural value, home to healthy and representative populations of wolves, bears and lynx, who share the same territory with humans and herds of sheep guarded by shepherds and dogs. At the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains, the villages are laid out like a string of beads, beautifully arranged.
The diligent locals still retain the rhythm of nature, which guides them through the year’s work. In a world where nature is being destroyed at an alarming rate and villages are facing a lack of development opportunities, protecting the Făgăraș Mountains in a complete and self-sufficient ecosystem that benefits nature and people is an essential goal. Foundation Conservation Carpathia invites artists to come up with a visual artistic manifesto for the promotion and conservation of the Făgăraș Mountains. The compositions should inspire the audience and allow interaction. The installations should be made of sustainable and/or recyclable materials, can use the landscape of the area and should have a minimal impact on the environment.
Projects can be submitted until 30th April, 2024, and the implementation budget is 4000 euros. The installation will be exhibited during Făgăraș Fest, being also an artistic manifesto for the creation of a National Park in the Făgăraș Mountains.
Who can participate
The ‘Manifesto for the Făgăraș Mountains’ competition is open to representatives of the creative industries: visual artists, architects, designers, or students of educational institutions in these fields. Participants can apply as a group or individually. Regardless of the formula in which they enter the competition, responsibility for the artistic installation is assumed by a single representative, as project manager. The same project manager may enter a maximum of two projects.
Competition entry:
Projects should be sent in PDF format to a.cretu@carpathia.org. Further details on the structure and evaluation of the projects entered in the competition can be found in the Rules.
Competition calendar:
30th April, 24:00: Deadline for submission of projects
1st – 15th May: Evaluation of projects and designation of winners
17th May: Announcement of winners
17th – 24th May: Signing of the contract with the winner
24th May – 25th July: Project implementation
26th – 28th July: Exhibition of the installation at Făgăraș Fest
The projects subscribed to the competition will be evaluated by a jury of five members: artists, specialists in the field, representatives of the community that host Făgăraș Fest. To enter the competition, each project must score at least 70 points, according to the evaluation and scoring criteria detailed in the Rules. The project ranked first will be designated winner and will be implemented within Făgăraș Fest.
Pictures and details for inspiration of the location where the 5th edition of Făgăraș Fest will take place can be consulted by clicking on the following link.
More details about the festival can be found on the official Facebook page HERE.
About Făgăraș Fest
Făgăraș Fest celebrates ‘Nature and People’ living at the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains. The event is an initiative of Foundation Conservation Carpathia and ProPark – Foundation for Protected Areas and is a manifesto festival for the creation of the Făgăraș Mountains National Park. The event aims to highlight the natural and cultural values of various communities around the Făgăraș Mountains. The festival was launched in 2019 in the southern part of the Făgăraș Mountains and took place in Lerești, Nucșoara, then on the Avrigului Valley and Porumbacu de Sus.
Făgăraș Fest combines nature-based experiences (guided tours about fauna, flora and forest), cultural tours, nature education activities for children and adults, nature films, talks and good music. The event is a place where local producers and the community come up with their best and is also a revenue generator for locals.
About Foundation Conservation Carpathia
Foundation Conservation Carpathia is the largest private forest conservation project in Europe, contributing to the restoration of natural ecosystems in the Carpathian Mountains for the benefit of biodiversity and local communities. Since 2009, the Foundation has rescued from logging over 27,000 hectares of alpine forests and grasslands in the south-east of the Southern Carpathians by purchasing them for conservation purposes, planted over 4.1 million seedlings and ecologically reconstructed over 1,991 ha affected by logging, and created a 78,000 ha no-take zone for sport and trophy hunting. The Foundation contributes to the well-being of communities in the vicinity of protected forests through social, education and green business development projects, and its long-term vision is the creation of the Făgăraș Mountains National Park.
